The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-10-05
THE G. A. X. AND THE PRESIDENT.
No Issue Was Made at st. Louis, but the Or
sganization Is Opposed Co Him.
Cincinnati Commercial Gazette.

Cincinnati Commercial Gazette.
Gen. Charles II. Grosvenor, of Athens. o.,
at the St Nicholas Hotel yesterday, he be-
ing in the city on his way home from the Grand
Army national encampment at st. Louis. He
was very enthusiastic about the meeting in the
Mound City Said he: This is the sixth con-
secutive national encampment have attended.
/ began at Baltimore, then went to Denver,
Minneapolis, Portland tMe.l. San Francisco and
now St. Louis. where / went a delegate. This
last was the largest national meeting the Grand
Army has ever had. There were over six hun
dred delegates proper. The reception and hos
pitaiity Of St Louis were splendid in every par
ticular. No criticism can be made about it. The
citizens spent 500. 600 of their money to
make it a success. Ten thousand old soldiers
marched. and all the time heavy rain was
pouring upon them"
The reporter asked the General respecting the
mention of Forakers name for commander-in-
chief, and to this be replied:
II heard nothing about it until saw tie Gov
ernor's telegram to Department Commander
Putnam positively declining to be a candidate
under any circumstances. General Farchild
had stated in his report that he had devoted
every day from the time he was elected at San
Francisco until he arrived at St. Louis to the
business and duties of the Office of commander
in-chef and that nine days out of ten during
the entire year he had to be out of his own
State (Wisconsin). 1t Is Office that wholly
absorbs the time of the man that occupies it.
Therefore the suggestion that Governor Foraker
could take 1t was simply absurd. Everybody
understood that Foraker did not want to be con-
sidered in connection with it, and everybody
understood that it was not possible that he could
hold the Office under any circumstances. Major
Warner, of Missouri withdrew his name be-
cause he is a Congressman. 1 think it just pos
slble that Powell will have plenty Of time to at
tend to Grand Army matters after the election"
and the General made this remark his eyes
twinkled and he gently laughed.
what about pensions.
"Well there was the old controversy in tho
encampment about service pensions It re-
ceived larger vote than ever before. but the
majority against it was about LIS; and the en-
campmenr Endorsed the pension report Of their
COMMITTEES. which is. in substance, the bill which
Cleveland vetoed. The report criticized the DO
sition OF Cleveland In mild and parliamentary
language, but reasserted support of the
same sort Of bill that he had vetoed But it
was done without antagonizing him and without
denouncing him personally or in any way rails
ing an issue between the Grand Army of the
Republic and the President of the United
States. In other words. the policy of the Grand
Army was simply 20 stand by the proposition
we had advanced on the pension question,
without abusing the President or saying any
thing about him, but to 60 right on as il he never
existed.
What about the resolution censuring Clevs-
landP
Paul Vandsrvoort, of Nebraska, who was
resolution denouncing Mr.. Cleveland and his We
toes, ETC., and strongly raising tae question of
good faith against the President. On the reso-
luton q discussion was had. The committee had
unanimously reported against the resolution.
On that committee were such men General
Post, of Illinois; Colonel Conger. Of Ohio, and
HANNIBAL hamln OF Maine. ana the contest
came I'D on disagreeing to that report The
convention was ten to one against the Wander
WORT resolution. The best estimate we could
make was that not more than fifty votes were in
favor of it."
''Can that be constructed as favorable to the
PRESIDENT
by means. I can fairly say, and I have
hesitation in saying 1t, that the feeling at ST.
Louis among the veterans was practically unan-
imousy against him. So general and sc strong
was the feeling that even the Democratic SOL
diers did not say word IN his favor; and that
feeling was not only because of Clsvelands posi-
ton, but because of his mode and manner of ex-
pressing himself. But the Grand Army is
stronger for not making personal issue with
Cleveland. Simply as stating what is the fact,
l can say that there is as much political feeling
in the Grand Army of the Republic in any or
ganizatlon in America, and that feeling is almost
entirely Republican But the Grand Army is
determined never to make political utterance
as an organization, but simply to teach the peo-
pie of the country it's notions, and to let the
political results growing out of its enunciations
and principles be what they may"